Anyone running the FMF Apex front bumper?

jeepsterchris

jeepsterchris

Member
I am looking at options for stubby bumpers, and I like the look of the Full Metal Fabworks Apex Pinnacle.

Is anyone running one here? If so, can you post up some pics and your opionions of the unit?

Thanks!!
 
wayoflife

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
I've been in the industry a long time and have to say that I've never even heard of them until now. If you like the way their bumper looks, it sounds like you've already seen more pics of it than me. :crazyeyes:
 
Canvas JK

Canvas JK

-
that shorty bumper looks like the LoD shorty bumper with bull bar. Their sliders look familiar too just cannot place where I have seen them.

R/
Will
 
olram30

olram30

Not That Kind of Engineer
Canvas JK said:
that shorty bumper looks like the LoD shorty bumper with bull bar. Their sliders look familiar too just cannot place where I have seen them.

R/
Will
Click to expand...

Sliders look familiar. Very popular design
 

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Rccrwlr

Rccrwlr

New member
Wait. Did they ask for dimensions on the forum?:thinking:


"One only needs to follow those that have been there/done that to learn how to do things proper the first time" BCH
 
AllAmericanInfidel

AllAmericanInfidel

Caught the Bug
jeepsterchris said:
I am looking at options for stubby bumpers, and I like the look of the Full Metal Fabworks Apex Pinnacle.

Is anyone running one here? If so, can you post up some pics and your opionions of the unit?

Thanks!!
Click to expand...

I just started running it and so far I like it. Its well built, welds are good and it seems to be heavy duty. I think it looks great too! I have not had it against anything yet, but I do not foresee rocks being as issue. It weights around 70lbs painted. I used Rustoleum self etching primer and Rustoleum satin black paint to paint it up. Before mounting:

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Just after mounting:

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AllAmericanInfidel

AllAmericanInfidel

Caught the Bug
I have not put a winch in it yet, and do not plan to until I get back out west. As mentioned before, quality and looks are great. Here are a few pics of it mounted. Just a note, it does require the vacuum pump to be relocated.

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I think it is worthy to mention that my interaction with Andrew at FMF was spectacular. I experienced great customer service and they answered a lot of questions via phone call and email and sent a bunch of specific pictures I requested from different angles before I decided to pull the trigger. My requirements for a front bumper were made in the USA, I wanted a medium(ish) winch hoop and not a full stinger, winch capability and I wanted to retain the factory for lights. This bumper was/is a great fit for me.
I narrowed it down to the FMF Apex Pinnacle or the PSC brawler lite with brawler bar. FMF is a new company that appear to be just getting started, and as mentioned not many have heard of them. I stumbled upon them while doing a Google search for JK Prerunner bumpers. I initially saw the Apex front bumper, and even posted a few pics of it up in another thread asking for advise. They contacted me about a new bumper they were going to release, the Pinnacle, and I thought it looked great. That's the one I eneded up going with. I can say I am very happy with my decision. Hope this helps and good luck in your search! Nice Rubi by the way! Great color! :clap2:
 
Chevy Dave

Chevy Dave

New member
I actually really like the look of that bumper. If you don't mind me asking how much did it cost?
Also which vac canister relocation did you use?
 
AllAmericanInfidel

AllAmericanInfidel

Caught the Bug
StrizzyChris said:
wow that's a sexy rig you got there! ^^^

Ive never heard of the company, but it's a great looking bumper! Do you know the metal thickness that they used for the body of the bumper?
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Thanks, I appreciate it! The bumper uses 3/16th plate steel and 1.75x.120 DOM for the hoop. I've never heard of them until a few months ago as well. I just happened to stumble across them on the ol' interweb.

Not to HiJack but curious if you ever got the coilovers installed? Your rig is going to be triple sexy with those on!
 
AllAmericanInfidel

AllAmericanInfidel

Caught the Bug
Chevy Dave said:
I actually really like the look of that bumper. If you don't mind me asking how much did it cost?
Also which vac canister relocation did you use?
Click to expand...

I initially was going to use the FMF relocation bracket. It mounts near the brake booster, as shown here mounted on my Jeep.
IMG_0104.jpg

Problem is, on the 2014s like mine, that space is already occupied, as shown here on the same Jeep.
IMG_0103.jpg

So I ended up going with the OR Fab relocation bracket, as shown here on the same Jeep.
IMG_0209.jpg

I bought it from Northridge. When I informed Andrew at FMF about the changes for 2014 he was very apologetic and paid for the relocation bracket I had to buy. As I said before, excellent customer service over there!
 
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Chevy Dave

Chevy Dave

New member
AllAmericanInfidel said:
I initially was going to use the FMF relocation bracket. It mounts near the brake booster, as shown here mounted on my Jeep.
View attachment 78202

Problem is, on the 2014s like mine, that space is already occupied, as shown here on the same Jeep.
View attachment 78204

So I ended up going with the OR Fab relocation bracket, as shown here on the same Jeep.
View attachment 78208

I bought it from Northridge. When I informed Andrew at FMF about the changes for 2014 he was very apologetic and paid for the relocation bracket I had to buy. As I said before, excellent customer service over there!
Click to expand...

Well that's good to know. Did you have to cut/splice anything with the OR fab bracket?
 
AllAmericanInfidel

AllAmericanInfidel

Caught the Bug
Chevy Dave said:
Well that's good to know. Did you have to cut/splice anything with the OR fab bracket?
Click to expand...

Not to mount the bracket itself. Just two fender bolts to mount it. In order to fit the FMF bumper, the mounting directions call for cutting off the factory vacuum canister mount. I tried to mount it without cutting and found a gusset inside the bumper was hitting a small portion of the factory mount, so I only chopped off a small portion of the factory mount. The two wires that connect to the canister need to be spliced, lengthened and re-routed under the hood. The vacuum line that runs from the engine compartment to behind the bumper then gets disconnected and that portion is not used again. There is enough length left at the connector under the hood to re-connect it to the canister without it. The kit came with everything needed. It was pretty easy to do, maybe 30 minutes not including going over the instructions. Hope this helps!

On another note, you can leave or cut the compliance bar out if you want. I left it on, but I think I may cut it out just to gain a little more clearance.
 
Chevy Dave

Chevy Dave

New member
AllAmericanInfidel said:
Not to mount the bracket itself. Just two fender bolts to mount it. In order to fit the FMF bumper, the mounting directions call for cutting off the factory vacuum canister mount. I tried to mount it without cutting and found a gusset inside the bumper was hitting a small portion of the factory mount, so I only chopped off a small portion of the factory mount. The two wires that connect to the canister need to be spliced, lengthened and re-routed under the hood. The vacuum line that runs from the engine compartment to behind the bumper then gets disconnected and that portion is not used again. There is enough length left at the connector under the hood to re-connect it to the canister without it. The kit came with everything needed. It was pretty easy to do, maybe 30 minutes not including going over the instructions. Hope this helps!

On another note, you can leave or cut the compliance bar out if you want. I left it on, but I think I may cut it out just to gain a little more clearance.
Click to expand...

Awesome info that helps a lot thank you!
Still not sure what bumper I will eventually go with but it sounds like I should get the relocation kit
Not to be a newb but what is the compliance bar?
 
AllAmericanInfidel

AllAmericanInfidel

Caught the Bug
Chevy Dave said:
Awesome info that helps a lot thank you!
Still not sure what bumper I will eventually go with but it sounds like I should get the relocation kit
Not to be a newb but what is the compliance bar?
Click to expand...

Jeep calls it a compliance bar, some call it the 'crash' bar. Its the portion that hangs down from the front cross member. It is required to cut off on some bumpers, other bumpers hang all the way down to the bottom of it so there is no need to cut it. This bumper is about mid way. More clearance than something like the PureJeep and OR Fab bumpers, but not as much clearance as the EVO Quarter pounder. I'm probably going to cut mine off just to gain that extra few inches of clearance, but it is not required.

You can see it here hanging down from underneath the factory bumper in this pic.
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